What have I been up to???

Hey guys, I'm still alive. I've been meaning to blog for a while but time just never presented itself. So I have a few things to show.

I finally finished my "O" quilt a few weeks ago! After a huge hiatus from it due to the biggest disaster in sewing room history (lol just kidding) I got back to work on it and once I got on a roll it only took a few weeks to finish (taking spare moments at night and on weekends). Here's a picture of it basted and ready for quilting:


After it was quilted and the binding attached I spent some hours out on my porch with Dexter stitching the binding to the back (boy that took time) but it was nice to look out at the pond and watch the ducks as I stitched. And of course he had to supervise (don't all cats?)


But after all that work, it was finally done. And I was very happy with it!
It was so late when I finished, but I wanted to take pictures and post on my Facebook. That's why the lighting is so terrible. Sorry bout that!


Also, my boyfriend and I went to Sarasota for the 4th of July weekend, to check out the beaches on the west coast of Florida (I grew up on the east coast in Satellite Beach, near Melbourne, FL). We had a great time, and they had free beach wheelchairs to use! JD pushed me all the way down near the water and set up our little area. The sky was overcast so it never got really hot, although we got sunburned. I am not used to going out in the sun and should have put more sunblock on. Oh well, live and learn. I've finally stopped peeling...yuk! Here's the two of us under our umbrella!


There were adorable terns with black heads everywhere, so I snapped a few pics of them, this one appeared to be posing just for me:


JD had a blast, and has been bugging me ever since to go back to the beach. So this weekend we are planning just a day trip to Daytona Beach, which is just an hour away.

By the way, on the way out of town, I saw this:


So I just HAD to stop in! And I finally got my Margo Pattern and some fabric to make my first Margo bag (Lazy Girl Designs).


I can't wait to get started. These are the fabrics I chose, all from the Cherish Nature line by Deb Strain for Moda Fabrics. I JUST LOVE THE BEES!!


So yeah, I know I've been gone a long time, but I spend more time thinking about quilting, blogging, etc. and less time actually doing them. LOL Hope everyone is having a fun summer, I feel like I need another vacation already... :)

Afghans Part Deux

Finito! I finished my beige afghan I started a few weeks ago this weekend. I haven't been able to test it on the couch (protection from Dexter's claws) to see if it is large enough, but if not I can put it on the new wing chair to protect it. Here is a shot of it on my bed. It actually is a bit bigger than I expected!


Of course a new project cannot go with out a look-see by the resident inspector. Not five minutes after the above picture was taken did Dexter jump up and check out the new afghan. He LOVES afghans, especially on a cold night (it's chilly for Florida right now).


I'm a bit disappointed in my crocheting as the border is a little ripply and wavy. But I guess it doesn't matter since it's going to be stretched out of shape anyway with use...lol! I've really enjoyed crocheting these past couple months. But as usual my ADD when it comes to projects has me looking to switch gears and get back in the sewing room. I have three Miranda bags to make and haven't even started them. Hopefully soon I can get in there this week and at least cut the fabrics.

Take care all!

Dandelion Girl Gracie

Haven't been in the sewing room much lately, but for my mom's birthday this year I wanted to make her another Gracie bag (from the AWESOME Lazy Girl Designs pattern) out of the lovely Dandelion Girl fabric line from Moda. I used the brown color way and the cool patterned fabric and solid that matches. Found a cool button at Joann's that matched pretty close. I love this pattern so much. It really whips together fast.


Dexter must ALWAYS inspect any bag, quilt or other project before giving, so here's a shot of him with the inside of the bag...he's a ham.


Must mention that I used the Velcro Fusion again. LOVE THIS PRODUCT! Also, after I attached the flap, I realized I hadn't topstitched around it! So instead of frog-stitching (rippit rippit) I somehow was able to topstitch it by pulling it away from the rest of the bag as best I could. Luckily it worked out! I have some scraps left over of both fabrics and hope to make something else, probably a Wonder Wallet! Thanks for stopping by!

Dexter says, "Vote Republican!"

Today mom and I went to Target and were down the cat food/toy aisle and I saw these adorable hats for cats...


He doesn't look too happy here...so needless to say we took it off (Im not THAT cruel...lol).


Anyway, we also got him a scratch pad which was covered in catnip, which he ate some of. Dexter doesn't go nuts on the nip, but he does drool (see photo below for evidence) and rubs his face on it.


He pulled the scratch pad out of the box by turning it over, and all the catnip fell out onto the tile. Mom was like, "BONANZA!" She quickly swept it up before Dex OD'd.

Anyway, hope to have some photos this week of projects and stuff. I've been out of it for a while. Thanks for stoppin' by!

Shower Time

No this is not an x-rated post...lol. My fluffball Dexter loves to get in the shower and I thought I would snap a shot of him (with out me...yikes the thought!) sitting on my bath seat.


He is so funny, always comes running when he hears the water come on. Not sure exactly why, I thought cats HATE water! Not that he enjoys being drenched, but he doesn't mind a little spritzing on his face. He likes licking the water off the shower floor and the seat, and my leg when I'm in the shower. Gosh I hope my cat's not a perv. LOL!

My "Assistant"

For the past few weeks I have been working at home, since we are remodeling the office building where I work. It has been very hard to stay focused on work, with TV, the internet, and the bed all calling my name. There is only another couple weeks to go, and I actually can't wait to go back to the office. I have been going in every couple days to get files to work on and get more work to do and review with my boss.


When ever I have a huge set of construction plans to look at, I lay them on my bed which is right behind me when I am at my computer. Unfortunately, Dexter comes along and spreads out on them. He doesn't realize he's not helping. But eventually he gets bored and leaves. Which is good because it is so hard to move him when he looks so happy and comfortable.

My Little Bobcat

I haven't posted in a while. I've been pretty busy and also a bit down. A few weeks ago my kitty Dexter had a biopsy on a lump on his tail and it came back as a malignant tumor. Needless to say I was devastated. He is only six years old! The vet recommended that his tail be amputated as there was no guarantee they could get all of it otherwise. So two weeks ago we took him to a specialist surgeon in Maitland (north of Orlando where I live) and they amputated all but about three inches of his tail. I cried that whole day.


They kept him overnight for observation, and the next day we went to get him. He had to wear what they call an e-collar (but we called it the Cone of Doom) until his sutures were removed, which was this past Monday. He hated every minute of it, but came to accept it after a couple of days. He couldn't bathe himself that whole time, and kept trying to, but all he could lick was the inside of the cone. Poor thing.

But the cone is off! And now we just have to wait for the fur to grow back on his tail and pray that the cancer didn't get a chance to spread. We go back in three months for a check up then every three months after to keep an eye on him. He is my little boy and I am not ready to lose him.

Dexter is a YouTube Star

Well, sort of. Monday night I posted a little video of Dexter "washing" his face with a stinky washcloth. I saw him do this once several months ago and thought "this is the most amazing thing I've ever seen a cat do." So I grabbed the video camera a week or so ago, threw down a washcloth that could probably stand up by itself in a corner and waited to see if Dexter would roll on it. And so he did...I tried to contain the laughter as best as I could as I shot the video, and this weekend edited it to remove the parts where he stopped performing and scratched a flea or whatever. Its about a minute and a half, so if you have the time, check it out:

Dexter Washing Up

Dexter

My my my...I cannot believe this is my fifth post, and have yet to display a picture of my sweet furry baby. I've mentioned Dexter in previous posts, but haven't explained who he was! In July of 2001 I went to PetsMart with my close friend Marci so she could look for a job. While we were there I decided to look in on the animals that were for adoption. I wasn't actively looking to get a pet, although I'd been wanting a cat for some time. My parents had discouraged me from adopting, thinking it would be too much trouble, that he would escape and I wouldn't be able to go after him, stuff like that.

I had always wanted a black and white cat. Not exactly sure why, just loved the "tuxedo" look. There was a small black and white kitten in one of the cages, very meek and wanted NOTHING to do with me. The handler pulled him out and handed him to me. He struggled and I gave him to Marci, and the kitten struggled harder and went back into the cage. I thought, gee whiz. Must not want to get adopted much!

There were some older cats and several dogs there, and I thought to myself, well I don't need to adopt a cat anyway. Maybe Mom and Dad are right. As we started away, I saw out of the corner of my eye a little orange fuzzball going to town playing with cat toy in his cage. He was having all kinds of fun. He was the cutest thing I had ever seen. I asked to hold him, and the handler pulled him out and placed him in my lap. The little furball looked up at me with these golden eyes and my heart turned to mush. I almost started to cry. I said to him "Oh yes, you are mine."

It was the fastest decision I have ever made. I gave the handler fifty dollars, and I had an eight week old kitten. I guess the hardest part was breaking the news to my mom, who was shocked, yet it only took her two seconds after seeing him to fall in love, just as I had. Here is a picture of him as a kitten, he loved attacking my feet:


That was 5 years ago this summer, and now Dexter is a huge 13 pounder, with a giant fluffy tail, and large fur filled paws. I am sure he has some Maine Coon in him, but can't be sure how much. His name happens to be the last name of a great friend of mine, Rob Dexter, bass player and lead singer of Kabang, a local Orlando band originally from New York. Rob seems honored, although he and Dexter have never met. Someday I hope to introduce them.


I consider Dexter to be my child, and I am his mother. I love him more than I ever thought I could love a pet. I have never once regretted adopting him. He is my BABY!!